Dallas Stars Blog

Dallas Morning News Stars writer Mike Heika chatted with fans on Thursday and answered questions about the Dallas Stars. Here are some highlights:
On if the Stars will end up retiring Jere Lehtinen’s jersey.

Hey Eddie, they have talked a lot about setting up a system where numbers are “retired” and numbers are “honored.” And every time they have talked about this, Jere Lehtinen’s No. 26 has been talked about as a number that would almost assuredly be retired.

Mike Modano, Sergei Zubov and Lehtinen seem like the three they might retire, and then they would find a way to honor numbers like Joe Nieuwendyk’s Ed Belfour’s and Derian Hatcher’s, among others.

We’ll see what happens, but the guess here is that there will be a Jere Lehtinen night at the arena where everyone gets to give him a long, loud standing ovation while his number is raised to the rafters.

By the way, talking to him yesterday, Jere said that had he not been out there for the final home game with Modano and Marty Turco, that this might have been a more difficult decision. But, he said, being out there for that was a very special night and a great way to end his career.

On the number of chances Matt Niskanen has left with the Dallas Stars.

Hey Austin, it’s a daily battle, and one they are trying to handle as best they can.

While winning is the ultimate job of every team, you have to juggle smaller objectives while trying to win. The Stars right now are trying to use their talent as best they can to win, and also as best they can to help these players get better.

As such, they have to measure if it is best to develop Philip Larsen in the minors or at the NHL level. In addition, they have to measure whether they might eventually be best-served to have Jeff Woywitka on the ice every game with no real long-term upside to his development or whether Matt Niskanen will get better by playing every game in important minutes and eventually be a much better player than Jeff Woywitka. Niskanen does not seem to respond well to heavy pressure, so they try to massage his game and build his confidence. It has been a long trek, and they are at times frustrated by the results.

So, the coaches and the front office have to decide if the best decision is to continue to play Niskanen every game and in important situations or whether or not to pull back and possible even scratch him here and there. So far, they have cut back the “important minutes” part, but they still are playing him every game. They also have to decide if it might be best to trade Niskanen at some point.

Some e-mailers have gone so far as to suggest Niskanen would go make it through waivers, but I can assure you he wouldn’t. There are teams that would trade for Niskanen, so the Stars have to consider that option.

It’s a process, and I can tell you the Stars were hoping that more progress would be made by now, but they are going to ride this out with the thought that the best way to get the most out of Matt Niskanen is to keep him on the ice.

By the way, Larsen had his share of mistakes last night and probably needs the time in the AHL at this stage of his career.

On Raycroft’s future with the Dallas Stars.

Raycroft is on a one-way contract for next season, so I see him sticking around and being the backup next season.

Campbell might actually stay in the OHL for next season and then move to the AHL in two seasons. The Stars have two very good AHL goalies in Tyler Beskorowany and Richard Bachman, and they may just let them push each other next season in the AHL to become an NHL backup in 2012-13. That would allow Campbell some time to mature in the AHL in 2012-13 and possibly 2013-14 before making a run as an NHL backup in 2014-15.

That’s really guessing on a long-term future, but I could see it unfolding that way.

On Steve Ott’s trade value at this very moment.

Yes, I definitely think you could get something good for him. Lots of teams would covet him.

The good thing for the Stars is Ott plays a lot of different positions and is versatile. The thing the Stars will have to study in the future is whether or not they should trade a left-handed left wing like Brenden Morrow, James Neal or Jamie Benn to add a defenseman, center or right wing.

I think they would consider that trade before they would consider trading Steve Ott.